Hobbes settled into his bed and quickly fell asleep hoping to escape the dark thoughts he had been wrestling with all night. The past followed him into his bed and his dreams were plagued by memories.
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
"Hobbes! Hobbes! Guess what?!"
Bobby Hobbes looked up from the report he was working on to see his partner bound into the room. Fawkes was grinning like a teenager who had just found out his crush liked him. He could not help smiling at the younger man as he asked, "What is it, partner?"
"I'm gonna be a free man, Hobbes! They figured out how to take the gland out!!" Darien was practically shouting with glee. As Hobbes stood up, Darien came around the desk and threw his arms around his partner.
"Wow. That's great, Fawkes!" answered Bobby enthusiastically. He returned Darien's hug as he asked, "Man, when's the big day?"
"Claire says by the end of the week."
"That's great," repeated Hobbes.
"A week," stated Darien dreamily. "We'll still be friends won't we? I mean, we won't be working together anymore but we can still hang out together right?" asked Darien meeting Hobbes' gaze with serious, slightly worried eyes.
"Of course, partner. Come on. Let's go get some lunch to celebrate. I'm buying," Hobbes heard himself reply still watching those dark, brown eyes. It was that image that he remembered most about the day he lost the best partner he would ever have. The dream shifted and Hobbes found himself staring into another set of dark brown eyes. These eyes were filled with fear and worry. They met his searching for reassurance. He slipped his hand down to grasp his partner's hand. A grimace flickered across his face as Darien clinched his hand in a death grip.
"Calm down. There's nothing to worry about. The Keeper is going to take care of you." Hobbes kept his voice gentle and soothing.
"That's what they said last time!" answered Fawkes with a note of panic in his voice.
"Nothing's going to go wrong. You're going to go in there and have that annoying little gland removed from your brain and when you wake up we'll go out to celebrate." Hobbes could feel the death grip loosen but Fawkes did not release his hand. "I'll take you down to the bar and introduce you to a few of my ladies. How does that sound?"
"Sounds pretty good," answered Darien relaxing enough to attempt a small smile. "Thanks, Bobby."
"What are partners for? Now you go with these gentlemen. Everything's going to be all right. You'll see." Darien did not release Hobbes' gaze until the doors to the operating room swung shut between them. Neither man knew it then but that would be the last time Darien would see his partner.
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^